Manchin-Heitkamp float Syria alternative

President Barack Obama would have to detail a comprehensive diplomatic, political, humanitarian and military strategy toward Syria under a proposal drafted by a pair of Senate Democrats obtained by POLITICO.

The resolution was written by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) and is seen as an alternative to the compromise measure approved last week by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that gives Obama 90 days for military action in Syria, and bans ground troops there.

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The Democrats’ proposal would give Syrian President Bashar Assad 45 days to comply with an international chemical weapons ban after which “all elements of national power will be considered by the United States Government” in reaction to alleged chemical weapons usage by Assad’s forces against hundreds of Syrians.

But Obama would also face a 45-day deadline of his own under the Manchin-Heitkamp resolution. The White House would be required to submit a strategy to Congress that would review all aid to the Syrian opposition, detail “efforts to isolate” terrorist groups within Syria from future governments, coordinate security with allies Jordan, Israel and Turkey and limit Iran’s support of Assad.

Heitkamp and Manchin’s bill would also ask Obama to sketch out humanitarian efforts for millions of displaced Syrians and refugees in surrounding nations. Both senators oppose the 90-day limited military intervention set for consideration in the Senate this week.

The two senators have yet to win any additional co-sponsors for their measure but have begun actively shopping their alternative to lawmakers in both parties, a Democratic source said.